SAN ANTONIO — Fireworks stands across Bexar County opened Saturday for the first day of sales ahead of the New Year's celebration.

“It's slow right now, and we expect it to be that way,” said Omar Zambrana, who volunteers at a stand on the South Side that benefits the King of Glory church. “Pretty much 90 percent of our sales happen on the 31st.”

County officials last week deemed conditions safe enough to allow sales that in years past were restricted because of the drought.

Zambrana, 32, said it will serve as the church's biggest fundraiser of the year. Mr. W Fireworks allows groups such as King of Glory, the Girl Scouts, volunteer fire departments and other nonprofits to operate the stands.

The sale or use of fireworks isn't permitted inside San Antonio city limits, but several stands operate in Bexar County.

In previous years, windy weather and dry terrain prompted major vendors to prohibit the sale of rockets and missiles. So far this year, that hasn't happened.

Michael Fernandez, 39, has been volunteering with Impact Now and selling fireworks for seven years.

“This fundraiser accounts for 20 percent of our operating budget for the year,” he said. “It's a huge help.”

“Things are a little slow now, but I think folks are just getting used to the fact that they're for sale again,” he said. “It will only pick up as time goes along.”